The Online Faculty Learning Community (OFLC) is sponsored by Instructional Support Services and is intended to provide faculty who teach blended and/or online with a series of learning sessions and collaborative opportunities to discuss current research and theory, innovative and practical teaching strategies, and to provide knowledge of policy and campus resources to support online course development, teaching and learning.
OFLC sessions are held every third Thursday (each month) during Fall and Spring semesters. The format is meant to be informal, conversational, with ISS staff in attendance to answer any ongoing questions you may have. ISS encourages you to attend as many sessions as you can, and stay as long as you can for each session, as membership in OFLC is automatic and non-obligatory.
Fall 2012 Sessions
Session #1: Meet and Greet / "7 Tips to Improve Online Engagement"
September 20, 2012 | UGLC 306 | 12:00 - 2:00 pm
Led by Dr. William Robertson and ISS Staff
Click HERE to register.
OFLC welcomes you to a brand new Fall semester by introducing you to our new director, Dr. William H. Robertson and our ISS staff. We have undergone some new changes in our organization—come learn about our transition under Academic Affairs and the Provost’s Office, as well as new projects and developments within ISS. We will also share best practice tips to improve online student engagement.
Session #2: Creating and Managing Online Student Groups
October 18, 2012 | UGLC 306 | 12:00 - 2:00 pm
Led by Robert Wren and Carolyn Cubit-Tsutsui
Click HERE to register.
Whether the class has 25 students, or 150 students, student interaction, group work and engagement remains a difficult issue in design and implementation. What are the best ways to create/structure these interactions? How can faculty best moderate the interactions that take place? Join us for a session to learn about the ways student groups can be created and managed for assignments and discussions towards student achievement.
Session #3: Social Media: Hype of Hope?
November 15, 2012 | UGLC 306 | 12:00 - 2:00 pm
Led by Steven Varela
Click HERE to register.
Twitter and Diigo for research? Facebook for peer review? YouTube for studying media literacy? Social media has allowed for a level of interaction that has not been possible since most people abandoned living in rural villages. These tools have once again permitted daily, persistent and pervasive contact with one another, albeit, online. Is there a place for their use in the college classroom? Perhaps, if used effectively, social media can bridge the gap between the technologies that students use with proficiency outside of the classroom, and begin to connect them to teaching and learning inside the classroom. This presentation will discuss the debate regarding using social media in higher education and identify various types that can be used to engage students toward achievement.
We look forward to seeing you!